Understanding which components to use

[analogix]

Are there websites, books, blogs or similar which list the various types of components and their suggested/typical use? I'm talking about practical/physical solutions like switches, cables, connectors etc.

For instance, I'm working on a project where I want to connect a cable between my DIY board and a 28-pin IC socket on another board and think this calls for a 28-pin DIP plug, a 28pin ribbon cable and an IDC plug and a matching solderable pin header. I don't know if this is the right solution, or if my explanation was even correct (the terms might be for something else), but that's basically my problem: I don't know what to look for, which pin spacing to use and when I finally do find what I look for there might actually be better solutions around which I've overlooked.

[Jan Audio]

Reichelt has a thick component book, you get if for free if you order.

[jackthomson41]

Share images of your DIY board and circuits. You can't get Embedded System without circuit diagram.

[andy3055]

Are there websites, books, blogs or similar which list the various types of components and their suggested/typical use? I'm talking about practical/physical solutions like switches, cables, connectors etc.

For instance, I'm working on a project where I want to connect a cable between my DIY board and a 28-pin IC socket on another board and think this calls for a 28-pin DIP plug, a 28pin ribbon cable and an IDC plug and a matching solderable pin header. I don't know if this is the right solution, or if my explanation was even correct (the terms might be for something else), but that's basically my problem: I don't know what to look for, which pin spacing to use and when I finally do find what I look for there might actually be better solutions around which I've overlooked.

How about this?

https://www.mouser.com/Connectors/Headers-Wire-Housings/_/N-ay0lo?P=1z0xbmhZ1yy34wz

[analogix]

Thanks for the links. Those sites/catalogs are nice if you know what you're looking for, but that's my problem that I don't.
I don't have any photos of my project as JackThomson41 asked for, because I haven't had the PCB manufactured yet (I'm currently designing it in Eagle), but this is the general idea:

I want to connect a 28-pin ribbon cable between two PCBs.
One board has a standard 28-pin IC socket, so I suppose some sort of header is needed here to plug into that socket.


The other end of the cable goes into a different PCB (the one I'm building) where I'm of course free to use any connector I like, but I'm guessing a 28 pin IDC socket, which in turn plugs into a dual-row pin header on that PCB:


Does this sound right? Or is there a better solution?

[Jan Audio]

No, you take eperiment board, 2,54mm.
Then you solder the IC socket.
Then you solder a ribbon cable connector, it has polarity protection.
On the other side also.

IC sockets are not expensive, order them all when you are at it.
What is it you are making ?

[analogix]

I'm not sure what you mean.
I remember many years back using ribbon cables with 14 or 16 pin connectors (which could be plugged into IC sockets). The ribbon cable went inside those conectors and you'd snap them together with a special tool (or spend a little longer using pliers). No soldering required.

After a lot of searching I think I finally found those 28 pin connectors on eBay:



Since they're so hard to find; are they no longer commonly available/commonly used, or did I perhaps just search for the wrong description? The eBay site says "Male IDC Ribbon Cable Transition Connector" but I thought they were called "DIP header" or "DIP socket". I didn't have any success finding them at the big component suppliers.

[mengfei]

maybe something like this?

[analogix]

Yes, breadboards are nice for experimenting. I have a few but never gotten round to using them. Maybe I should 

There are also some nice "beginner to electronics" guides, such as this one from Instructables. But so far not much on getting into practical choices regarding connectors and such.

[Jan Audio]

I can not find a 28 pin connector, only a 26 pin at reichelt : WSL 26G
No i,m not giving links, when they get linked they throw up the prices.

[analogix]

Maybe they're not that common any longer, but at least I can get them from eBay.
Apart from the 28 pin header (which plugs into a 28 pin IC socket) I also found someone on eBay selling a 28 pin female connector (for the other end of the ribbon cable):


But I haven't had success in finding a solderable socket which that female connector can plug into. I haven't checked the dimensions, but for prototyping I could maybe use a double-row pin header, but of course there's no notch which will prevent it from being inserted the wrong way.

[mariush]

You don't always have to go with the exact number of pins.
For example, standardize on 10pin and 20 pin ... instead of 28 pin, maybe go with  1 x 2x5 pin + 1 x 2x10 pin ribbon cables.
10 pin is very common (ex usb 2 headers) so being so mass produced they're also very cheap.
20 pin is also common (usb 3.0)

There's
29400+ 2 row 0.1" spaced headers : https://www.digikey.com/short/pdpp3m

2965 2 row 0.1" spaced with shroud : https://www.digikey.com/short/pdpp81

rows pins count:
- 2 06 : 75
- 2 08 : 52
- 2 10 : 384  (cheapest 0.18$ at 100pcs on Digikey)
- 2 12 : 45
- 2 14 : 276 (cheapest 0.21$)
- 2 16 : 277 (cheapest 0.26$)
- 2 18 : 13
- 2 20 : 350 (cheapest 0.31$)
- 2 22 : 6
- 2 24 : 110 (cheapest 0.48$)
- 2 26 : 255 (cheapest 0.26$)
- 2 28 : 1
- 2 30 : 137 (cheapest 0.48$)

On Digikey, you have ribbon cable at
50$ for 20 wire 30.5m  ...
63$ for 24 wire
63$ for 26 wire
69$ for 30 wire
85$ for 40 wire
You can probably get much cheaper on lCSC or other distributors, or at bigger rolls... but the idea is you get the best price at 20 wire 2x10 or 40 wire (2x20)

115$ for 152.4 meters of 10wire , 180$ for 152.4 meters 20wire ...

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edit:  also, you can get round pins and solder them to a tiny board to simulate the regular pins of a DIP chip : https://www.digikey.com/short/pdp4pj